Ramsey County is announcing a new economic development plan to revitalize downtown St. Paul.
Approved unanimously by the board, Building Stronger Together is a $320 million investment, says St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her.
"It is a focused, high impact strategy, it expands our tax base, accelerates housing, and strengthens our economy without increasing our property tax levy," Her explains. "We're using funds already in place."
The plan focuses on two areas, selling county-owned land and building up the downtown area which is notoriously quiet outside of major events.
"A strong downtown St. Paul is essential to a strong region," says Ramsey County Manager Lynn Becker. "The investment we are talking about today will help bring more people, more energy, and more opportunity into the heart of our city."
Ramsey County claims these initiatives will drive more business activation, support residential growth and expand the tax base including generating new property tax revenue. They say that will decrease the existing burden on county residents and businesses, "creating a stronger, more resilient and opportunity-rich community for all."
The plan would also resurrect the RiversEdge project, a nearly five-acre site located at the southwest intersection of Wabasha Street and Kellogg Boulevard, overlooking the Mississippi River in downtown St. Paul.
Features include:
- 9+ acres of new urban park space, including a community gathering space for public events.
- Expanded public access to the Mississippi River from the downtown bluff to the shoreline.
- Trails that connect to the Mississippi River, downtown Saint Paul and other regional trail systems.
- Design centering equity and sustainability utilizing low-impact development including flood mitigation strategies, energy resilience, and the use of bird safe glass.
Part of the plan for "Building Stronger Together" from Ramsey County.
(Audacy / Ari Bergeron)
"The county is uniquely positioned to drive meaningful growth," says Community and Economic Development Director Josh Olson. "As one of the largest landowners, the county owns currently hundreds of acres of vacant, underutilized land across the county that is truly ripe for redevelopment and ready for redevelopment."
The other part of the plan is to build up the downtown area.
"These initiatives, catalyzing projects like RiversEdge, will expand business opportunities, housing choices, and public spaces," Olson adds.
